NFC West places 3rd in NFL division rankings
The NFC West projects as a competitive division again in 2024. The San Francisco 49ers appear poised to bounce back from a disappointing campaign. The Arizona Cardinals are viewed as an ascending squad.
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Pro Football Focus recently ranked all eight divisions around the league. The NFC West placed third, trailing just the AFC West and NFC North.
"Seattle faces more uncertainty, with Sam Darnold stepping in at quarterback and no D.K. Metcalf in the receiving corps," Trevor Sikkema wrote about the Seahawks. "If the Cardinals take the next step — and there's reason to believe they can — the NFC West could turn into a four-team slugfest. The Rams remain one of the toughest outs in the league, and if not for the blizzard in their playoff game against the Eagles, they might have been on their way to the NFC Championship Game."
The NFC West's cumulative over/under win total for the 2025 campaign is 37, tying the AFC West and NFC North for first place in PFF's projected division rankings. The Seahawks are certainly the biggest wild-card in the division. If John Schneider's sweeping offseason changes prove fruitful, the NFC West will be as competitive as ever in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: NFL division rankings: NFC West places 3rd
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A team going from worst to first in the division is nearly an annual occurrence in the NFL. With last-place teams getting advantages like favorable schedules and higher draft picks, there have been 25 teams since the 2002 realignment that followed up a last-place finish with a division title the following year. While no team pulled off the trick last season, it had happened least once in each of the previous four seasons. Perhaps no team is better positioned to do it this season than the San Francisco 49ers , who followed up a Super Bowl loss in the 2023 season with a 6-10 last-place finish in 2024. The Niners were done in by a string of injuries to key players and now head into the 2025 season with the weakest projected schedule thanks in part to three games against fellow last-place teams Chicago, the New York Giants and Cleveland. Here's a look at the contenders based on their odds to finish first from BetMGM Sportsbook: San Francisco 49ers BetMGM odds to win division: +165. Reason for optimism: The 49ers still have star power with players like Fred Warner , George Kittle , Nick Bosa, Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams and one of the top offensive coaches in the game in Kyle Shanahan. With the last-place schedule and a rotation that includes eight games against the weaker South divisions, the Niners are favored to win the NFC West. Reason for pessimism: San Francisco let several defensive starters leave in the offseason as part of a movement to get cheaper and younger. But if their rookie class can't step in and contribute immediately, the defense could have some holes even with the return of coordinator Robert Saleh . New England Patriots BetMGM odds to win division: +475. Reason for optimism: QB Drake Maye showed flashes as a rookie and should get a boost in Year 2 with a better coaching staff led by Mike Vrabel and coordinator Josh McDaniels. Reason for pessimism: Maye still has very little support even after the offseason acquisitions of rookie lineman Will Campbell and veteran receiver Stefon Diggs. Chicago Bears BetMGM odds to win division: +550. Reason for optimism: The Bears brought in the most highly sought after coaching candidate when Ben Johnson was hired after a strong run as offensive coordinator in Detroit. They also upgraded the interior of the offensive line by acquiring Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson in the offseason to help second-year QB Caleb Williams. Reason for pessimism: Chicago is in a division with three returning playoff teams and has one of the more difficult schedules in the NFL. If Williams' struggles as a rookie were more about holding onto the ball too long instead of the surrounding environment, the upgrades might not be enough. Tennessee Titans BetMGM odds to win division: +800. Reason for optimism: Last year's struggles delivered Tennessee the No. 1 overall pick. QB Cam Ward brings his playmaking ability to Tennessee and should be helped by an improved offensive line following the additions of Dan Moore and Kevin Zeitler and anticipated improvement from recent first-rounders JC Latham and Kevin Zeitler. Reason for pessimism: Ward doesn't have a strong group of pass catchers even after the signing of veteran Tyler Lockett and Tennessee hasn't done much to upgrade a defense that allowed 27.1 points per game last season. New Orleans Saints BetMGM odds to win division: +1,300. Reason for optimism: The offense could get a boost if first-round tackle Kelvin Banks can step in immediately and receivers Chris Olave and Rasheed Shaheed are healthy. Reason for pessimism: New Orleans has uncertainty at quarterback after Derek Carr's retirement and is counting on either second-round rookie Tyler Shough or 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler to perform at a high enough level to compete. Las Vegas Raiders BetMGM odds to win division: +1,500. 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Veteran Joe Flacco , Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are all in the mix but none provide immediate hope for success. ___ AP NFL:
